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Hey everyone.
Firstly.. hat's off to Symantec for creating this forum :)
I've used many different security software packages, and am currently trialing NIS2008. I'm quite happy with it -- and NIS2009 looks promising too (though I think the current interface is grotesque!)
Anyway, my concern with buying NIS is that I will be locked out of the software due to activation. All software on my system is 100% legitamate, and I have no intention to "pirate" anything.. However.. I regularly reformat my system and reinstall software.
I understand that there is a "finite" amount of times that NIS can be reinstalled, and therefore re-activated. Let's say this figure is 3. What happens when I try to install the software for the 4th time (note: I'm only going to be using this software on one machine at any one time. It's not like I'm trying to buy the software once and use it on multiple machines -- even though the license includes 3 PCs).
As I'd be looking at getting a 2 year subscription, I'm worried that before this is up, I'd have hit this limit and would be forced into buying a new code (something that I wouldn't be prepared to do).
Would it be possible for any of the Symantec employees to answer:
1. When I reach this limit of allowed re-activations, what happens? Can I have it "reset" so that I can still get the subscription time I've purchased?
2. With a 2 year NIS subscription, purchased in the next week or so, this would give me access to NIS2009 and NIS2010 using the same code?
The other concern I have, is when NIS2009 is released.. I will be doing a fresh install rather than uninstalling NIS2008 then installing NIS2009 - so again, this will be using an activation up.
I want to purchase the software, but not if I'm going to be locked out of it in the future just because I frequently reformat.
Thanks.
Hey huwyngr – thanks for your reply 
I’ll look out for one of the guys in red =) Hopefully, if as you say it wouldn’t be a “permanent problem” and could effectively be reset with a phonecall, then this wouldn’t be a problem for me (heck, I’ve had to do it with Windows a few times 
). Obviously, knowing beforehand whether I’d be able to solve this hyperthetical situation is crucial as to whether I use the software
Cytoned wrote:
As I'd be looking at getting a 2 year subscription, I'm worried that before this is up, I'd have hit this limit and would be forced into buying a new code (something that I wouldn't be prepared to do).
Would it be possible for any of the Symantec employees to answer:
1. When I reach this limit of allowed re-activations, what happens? Can I have it "reset" so that I can still get the subscription time I've purchased?2. With a 2 year NIS subscription, purchased in the next week or so, this would give me access to NIS2009 and NIS2010 using the same code?
The other concern I have, is when NIS2009 is released.. I will be doing a fresh install rather than uninstalling NIS2008 then installing NIS2009 - so again, this will be using an activation up...
Hi Cytoned,
Great questions, thank you for posting them to the board. When you write "re-activations", do you mean installing the product on a completely cleaned (reformatted) machine, or on a machine that has only uninstalled the product? When you remove NIS from your system, the subscription information remains and will not be a "count" against the 3 PC limit. If you are installing on a completely cleaned system, which does not have any remaining subscription information, then this would be considered a count. If you exceed the limit for this count, just contact our Customer Support team (http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/selectproduct_ts.jsp) and explain the situation. They can resolve the problem for you.
For your "2 year subscription" question, you will be able to take advantage of the "Free Update" to NIS 2009 when it becomes available. Nothing is set yet for NIS 2010, so unfortunately I can't make any promises about a free update being available for NIS 2010 with a valid subscription. Also, since I don't know when the NIS 2010 product will be released, I don't know if your subscription would still be valid at that time.
As to your concern over the NIS 2009 release, it depends on your idea of a "fresh install", but the same rules above apply. Again, reseting the activation count can be handled by our customer support team. I hope this answers your questions. Let me know if you need any further help.
Hi Tony,
Thank you for your reply. It's great to be able to deal with Symantec Employees :)
My idea of a fresh install is either completely reformatting the machine (hence removing activation data), or restoring the machine using Acronis True Image to a point prior to the NIS installation, therefore removing activation data again.
Basically.. anytime I reinstall the product, I will use a count up, as I would always perform a clean install rather than uninstalling the software and leaving behind the activation data.
It's great to hear that the customer support team should be able to reset the count. If as you suggest the limit is 3 counts, I could see myself hitting this probably in the first year of the subscription. Therefore I'd probably require my count to be reset twice.
Am I correct in thinking this wouldn't be a problem?
Cheers ;)
I'm glad to see Tony W answering your specifics.
Just in case he doesn't catch this in your reply:
<< If as you suggest the limit is 3 counts, I could see myself hitting this probably in the first year of the subscription. >>
The three that Tony refered to when he said:
<< When you remove NIS from your system, the subscription information remains and will not be a "count" against the 3 PC limit. >>
will, I think, not be the limit on the number of times you can install and reinstall without if flagging this to Norton but refers to the fact that many Norton packages are 3 user packs and can be installed on 3 different systems with the same KEY.
If your copy of NIS 2008 were a single user copy then you can only install it on one system with that key but the number of times you can uninstall and reinstall would be whatever that is -- maybe that is the same number.
Anyway I didn't want there to be a misunderstanding about this so I'm sure Tony will comment and correct me if I'm wrong.
I can affirm that with Windows I've reinstalled VISTA on my test bed at least eight times so far, twice from the DVD and the rest by restoring a TI 11 image, and each time I've had a nice little flash back from Nanny Microsoft saying it has activated successfully.
Of course having said that the next time they'll probably complain <g> I'm testing the beta NIS2009 this way.
Cytoned wrote:
...I could see myself hitting this probably in the first year of the subscription. Therefore I'd probably require my count to be reset twice.Am I correct in thinking this wouldn't be a problem?
It shouldn't be a problem. Although, to avoid the situation entirely, why not make a few images - one without NIS installed, and one with NIS installed and activated? Unless there is a NEED for you to have NIS removed from your system each time, this might be a much more hassle-free way to go. And then, if you need to get the system NIS free again, you always have to NIS free image to restore. It's just a suggestion, and certainly not required. Thanks!
Hi Tony & huwyngr,
Sorry I'm so late getting back - and thank you both most kindly for your replies.
In light of your reassurance that I'll not be locked out of the product due to activation, and with my complete satisfaction with NIS 2008 during the trial period, I'm pleased to say that I have, today purchased a 2 Year license for NIS 2008 (3PCs), which I'm using on both of my 2 machines.
Created an image on each one after it was activated, so I should be safe.
Best wishes & thank again,
Cytoned.
Yes this place really is something!
I'm sure I've seen Norton say that there is no permanent problem with what you say you will be doing -- it might involve a phone call or an email to Norton, just as is the case with Windows and Microsoft. But I've flagged your message for one of the Norton Staffers to handle -- watch for names in red!
You will certainly get a free download of NIS2009 when it is released and while I'm sure that will continue into the future I'm not worrying about 2010 .... yet <g>